1963 South Bend, Indiana mayoral election

The 1963 South Bend, Indiana mayoral election was held on November 5, 1963.

South Bend mayoral election, 1963
November 5, 1963
 
Nominee Lloyd M. Allen Paul Krueper
Party Republican Democratic
Mayor before election

Frank J. Bruggner
Democratic

 Elected Mayor

Lloyd M. Allen
Republican

Elections in Indiana

Incumbent Frank J. Bruggner, who had reluctantly assumed the office after Edward F. Voorde's death in an automobile accident, did not seek reelection to the office.[1]

This is the last time that a non-incumbent Republican won a South Bend mayoral election.[2]

Primaries

Democratic primary

Two candidates faced each other in the Democratic primary. Paul Krueper was favored by voters on the East Side and had the support of the Democratic establishment.[1] However, Eugene Pajakowki was favored by voters on the West Side, which had a significant Polish-American vote at the time.[1]

The South Bend Tribune's political writer at the time, James Carroll, described the primary the two men waged as being, "one of the meanest in Democratic history".[1]

Krueper prevailed in the primary,[1] but the ugliness of the primary had split the party.[2]

Republican primary

City Judge Lloyd M. Allen won a large victory in the Republican primary, which saw sizable turnout.[2]

General election

While a Democratic city, at the time, South Bend was more competitive in its mayoral elections than it is today.[1] A Republican had last won a mayoral election in 1951, and one had come close in the narrow 1955 election (losing a close race to Edward F. Voorde).[1]

The election took place in the direct aftermath of the announcement that Studebaker, a major South Bend employer, would be closing its operations in the city.[1]

Allen won a landslide victory.[1] Allen's victory has been attributed to the split in the Democratic party following its fractious primary.[2]

References
  1. Colwell, Jack (July 12, 2015). "Colwell: Lloyd Allen was South Bend's monument in asphalt". South Bend Tribune. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
  2. "2007 Mayoral" (PDF). Howey Political Report. 14 (7). September 27, 2007. Retrieved September 22, 2019.


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